London Bridge is falling down, and so is our tact.
Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales, announced her cancer diagnosis on March 22 at Windsor Castle, but wanted to wait to tell the public. Various breaches of privacy led to her sharing this information far before the family was ready.
Middleton’s video was released after she had not made a public appearance since December 2023. After a security breach revealed she underwent abdominal surgery at the London Clinic in January, and a poorly edited photo was released on U.K. Mother’s Day on March 10, rumors ran rampant.
“We hope that you’ll understand that as a family, we now need some time, space, and privacy while I complete my treatment,” Middleton said in her March 22 video. “My work has always brought me a deep sense of joy, and I look forward to being back when I’m able. But for now, I must focus on making a full recovery.”
Being royalty is a public job, but everyone has the right to privacy when it comes to health. The breach of Middleton’s medical information and the inappropriate accusations that followed are just a continuation of the unraveling of the British monarchical tradition, both within the system and among its citizens.
“[There are] systems in place to monitor management of patient information and, in case of any breach, all appropriate investigatory, regulatory and disciplinary steps will be taken,” the London Clinic’s CEO, Al Russell, said in a statement to NBC News. “There is no place at our hospital for those who intentionally breach the trust of any of our patients or colleagues.”
Following the breach of hospital information, Kensington Palace officially announced her abdominal surgery on Jan. 17. On Jan. 29, authorities stated she returned home after making a successful recovery. The March 10 publication of the edited Mother’s Day photo was the tipping point, leading to rampant inquiries on social media about the status of the future queen.
While many of the conspiracy theories in the wake of the edited Mother’s Day photo were hilarious — a la Middleton getting a Brazilian butt lift — it only accelerated British tabloid culture into forcing the palace to announce too soon. Upon Middleton’s announcement of her cancer diagnosis, many comedians regret joking about it, such as Andy Cohen who said he wishes he had “kept my mouth shut,” on his “Radio Andy” show.
Members of the British royalty have shared information about their medical conditions previously. Buckingham Palace just announced on March 25 King Charles III has been diagnosed with cancer. In 2007, the palace announced Queen Consort Camilla had a successful hysterectomy. Yet these have occurred after treatment and when it was time for the public to know, rather than prematurely.
As the online world becomes louder, the British monarchy will face mounting pressure to release information with greater frequency and faster, both at the expense of the royalty’s privacy, and the public’s quality of knowledge.
Middleton is a mother of three young children and is undergoing chemotherapy. She might be the future queen, but she deserves rest like anyone else. According to People Magazine, Middleton did not want to share her diagnosis until her children fully understood what this would mean. The employees at the London Clinic, and the chronically online citizens of Twitter, clearly did not care.
Around March 31, people began to notice Getty Images had left an editor’s note on the Kensington Palace cancer announcement video, stating it “may not adhere to Getty Images’ editorial policy.” Rumors are running rampant yet again, with many a gossip now claiming the video is a deep fake.
The drama may never end. For now, and for the sake of Middleton and her privacy, it is best to keep calm and carry on.
